Fare-box



(No Model.)

H. C. MGENERY.

FARE BOX.

- No. 466,797. Patented Jan. 12, 1892.

@mem/bof@ .Maffia/y Z l Z l l @Wien/n UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY C. MCENERY, OF NEIV ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

FARE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 466,797, dated January 12, 1892.

Application filed July 1'7, 1891. Serial No. 399,863. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY C. MCENERY, a citizen of the' United States, residing at New Orleans, parish of Orleans, and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fare-Boxes, of which the fol-v` lowing is a specification.

My invention relates'to that class of fareboxes'in which an alarm is sounded when a fare is deposited.

A leading feature of my invention is an organization by which an alarm is sounded j ust before the fare is deposited and continues until the fare has been inserted through the proper opening in the box and has proceeded on its way toward a receptacle, where it is held in a vertical position in full viewof the passengers anddriver.

My invention also involves certain improvements in the general construction of the box and in its details of construction, all of which will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In theaccompanying drawings, Figure l represents a vertical central section through my improved fare-box with the several mov` able parts in their normal position. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts in another position. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section looking at the interior of the box fromthe rear.

The casing A may be of any desired con' struction of suitable size and shape to receive the working parts of my apparatus. As shown, the sides are closed, while the back is provided with a transparent plate a CZ. I have shownthe casing o rbox dividedinto three compartments l, 2, and 3.' The compartment l contains the mechanism for receiving the fares and delivering them to a platform l) over the compartment 2, into which the fares are dropped onto another platform c, which is movable by means of a handle c', and which, when tilted, drops the fares into the `compartment 3.

The platform c is hinged at c2, and whenin its normal position, as shown in the drawings, in connection with the partition c3, closes in the top of the compartment 3. The compartment 2 is closed in like manner by a partition 1)' and the hinged platform b. The compartment 3 has no windows or transparencies. The compartment 2 has transparent plates d d at front and rear, as indicated. The compartment l has transparent plates e a at front and rear,l and parallel with the plate e is another transparent plate e. Between the plates e e is a narrow vertical receptacle e2, in which a coin is held vertically after it has been deposited and until the platform Z) is tilted. When the coin is held in the receptacle e2, it is in full view of both the passengers and driver.

Above the plate or window e the casing is enlarged or extended at B, the front of which extension is curved, and its upperend is slotted at B to receive the fares. From this slot extends a chute C, leading to thelower part of the compartment l. Directly under the lower end of this chute is pivoted a circuit-closer D, which is shown as formed like a bell-crank lever.` One part D serves to close the lower end of the chute when the circuit-closer is in the position shown in Fig. 2. The weight D2 may be adjusted as shown, and it is so arranged as to balance the circuit-closer delicately, so that a slight movement in either direction will cause the part D to move tol cuit-closer rests against the contact and closes v the circuit when the part D closes the lower end of the chute C. When the circuit is thus closed, the bell will continue to ring until a coin is dropped through the chute and by its weight and impact moves the circuit-closer to open the chute and also open the circuit. The coin then drops downonto the inclined way G and into the vertical receptacle e?.

The slot B is normally closed by a hinged cover or push-block H, which has a curved lower side corresponding to the curved front ot' the part B of the box. Tithin the box IOO loosely connected to the lowerlend'of the frame H', forms a connectionV between the pushblock frame and the platform by which it is operated. The connection is such, as will be seen, that when the push-block is moved inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 the platform b will be tilted, opening a passageway from thereceptacle e2 into the compartment 2. The f rame ll carries a short finger h2, adapted .to engage with an arm or finger h3, projecting from the circuit-closer. The arrangement is such that when the push-block is moved inwardly the finger h2 abuts against the nger h3 and turns the circuit-closer into position to close the chute and also close the circuit. The push-block frame also carries a slide J, slotted atj. When the push-block is moved inwardly, the slot j is out of line with the chute, so that when a coin is deposited it lodges on the slide, as indicated in Fig. 2; but when the push-block has returned to its normal position the slot is in line with the and the coin falls into the receptacle e2, where it is in full view of the passengers and driver.

It will be noted that the push-block and its'l frame are so pivoted that-normally the pushblock is in its outward position and will move to that position after it has been pushed inwardly and is left free.

X Y indicate chutes through which change may be transferred from driver to passenger. For instance, the chuteX may lead from the inside of the car to a cup or pocket X and the chuteY lead from the outside to a cup or pocket Y. These chutes may be inclined and crossed, as shown, so that change may be readily made.

The operation of my apparatus has been indicated; but, to recapitulate, it will be seen that when the first passenger pays his fare he first pushes in the push-block H, which turns the circuit-closer to close the chute and close the circuit. The bell then rings. Should he not deposit a coin, but permit the push-block to return, the circuit will be still closed and the bell will continue to ring; but if while lthe push-block is in the position shown in Fig.. 2 he deposits a coin and then permits the push-block to return., the coin drops, opens the circuit, and lodges on the platform b, as indicated in Fig. l. The coin remains there until another passenger deposits his fare. The apparatus then works in a similar way; but it should be observed that when the pushblock is moved inwardly it tilts the platform b simultaneously with closing the circuit and allows the coin to drop into compartmentl 2 from the receptacle e2, the coin last deposited in the meantime being suspended on the slide J. When the push-block returns,

platfornr iii" the receptacle e?. 4The subsequent operations of the fare-box are the same.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a box or casing, an alarm, a push-block for setting the alarm, a chute for conveying a coin, and means operated by the coin for stopping the alarm, all operatively connected and arranged substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a box or casing, an alarm, an electric circuit, a circuit'- closer, means for operating the circuit closer to sound the alarm, and a chute for conveying a coin to the circuit-closer to open the circuit, all operatively connected and arranged substantially as set forth.

3. rPhe combination of a box or casing, a push-block, a platform with which it is connected, an alarm, connections between the f push-,block and the alarm, whereby it is sounded, a chute'for conveying a coin, and means operated by the coin for stopping the alarm, all operatively connected and arranged substantially as set forth.

. et. The combination of a box or casing, a push-block, a pivoted platform connected with and operated by the push-block, a chute, a slotted slide connected with the push-block and extending through the chute, and an alarm operated by the push-block, all opera- IOC tion, an alarm-bell, its electric circuit, a circuit-closer, means for closing the circuit, a chute, and a slotted slide extending through the chute and operated by the push-block, all operatively connected and arranged substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a fare-box divided into three compartments arranged in a vertical series and having windows at front and rear, pivoted platforms above the two lower compartments, a handle for operating the platform of the lower compartment, a pushblock for operating the platform of the middle compartment, a narrow coin-receptacle having transparent sides in which a coin may be held in a vertical position, a chute for con- ITO veying a coin to the receptacle, and an alarm v be held in a Vertical position, a chute for conveying a coin to the receptacle, an alarm operated by the push-block, and the inclined change-chutes havin g cups or pockets at their lower ends.

8. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a fare-box', an inclined change-chute X, opening at its upper end on the front side of the fare-box and at its lower end terminating in a cup or pocket on the rear side of the box, and the inclined chute Y,

opening at its upper end on the rear side of the fare-box and terminating at its lower end in a cup or pocket Y on the front side of the bOX.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my naine.

HENRY C. MCENERY. Witnesses:

H. L. LooMIs, J r., FRANK ZENGEL. 

